Once again, communities are protesting the city's plan to dump the homeless into hotels in their neighborhoods.

Many empty state mental health hospitals are languishing throughout the state on our tax dollars, and can be used for housing homeless individuals and families. It would be cost effective and provide jobs.

Could it be that the homeless population doesn't matter because they don't vote? Well, the people impacted by placements in their neighborhoods do.

Rockland State Psychiatric Hospital is very large, located on vast green acres, and can house hundreds of homeless individuals and families, as do many other hospitals.

Recently, developers went to a community board in Queens with plans to build apartments and housing on the grounds of Creedmooor psychiatric hospital.

Maybe the people protesting the homeless in their communities will ensure that their elected politicians look into the hospital plan.

I hope protesters use their energy to help the homeless and lobby the governor and mayor to look into this humane issue.